Flashlight



June 19, 1956 E. EMERSON 2,751,490

FLASHLIGHT Filed July 11. 1955 Fl G. l

INVENTOR l5 16 DAVID E. EMERSON i Q BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent FLASHLIGHT David E. Emerson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application July 11, 1955, Serial No. 521,189

1 Claim. (Cl. 24010.6)

This invention has to do with portable, battery-operated lamps, particularly those which are commonly called flashlights.

It is advantageous to be able to adjust a flashlight to give either a normal light or a colored light. An object of my invention is to provide a novel means in a flashlight whereby the flashlight can be adjusted to give either a white or natural light or a colored light.

A further object is to provide a simple and improved means of the type indicated embodying a colored filter movably mounted in a forward portion of the flashlight and improved means for adjusting the position of the filter to dispose the same either in front of or to one side of the flashlight lamp bulb.

Another object is to provide such a device which is constructed to minimize the entrance of water or moisture into the flashlight casing.

It is also an object to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive means of the type indicated.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawing and the following description.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a flashlight embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view looking into the reflector shell of the flashlight from which the protecting glass has been removed, the plane of the view being indicated by line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

More particularly describing the invention, 11 indicates the casing of the flashlight. This has a threaded cap 12 at one end which provides access to the interior in which are placed conventional batteries.

The opposite end of the casing is shown provided with a forward portion 14 threadedly mounted on the casing 11. The forward portion 14 includes a cylindrical section 15, a rolled beaded section 16, and a dished reflector shell 17. The latter has a reflective inner surface.

Within the forward portion of the casing is mounted an inner shell 20 which is centrally threadedly apertured at 21 to receive the lamp bulb 22.

Adjacent the forward surface of the reflector shell 17 I provide a thin, colored filter element 25 which is pivotally secured to the shell at one end, as by means of a rivet 26. Between the filter element and shell 17 I provide a dished plate 27. This is apertured at 28 in registration with the aperture 17 of the shell and is provided with three or more fingers 29 which serve to attach it to the inner margin of the shell 17 so as to permit the plate to be rotated about the axis of the shell. The plate 27 is provided with an axially extending slot 30 for a purpose to be described.

The shell 17 is provided with an arcuate slot 31, one end of which is located substantially circumferentially of the rivet 26 or point of attachment of the filter 25 to the shell. From this end of the slot, which is the upper end as the same is viewed in Fig. l, the slot extends arcuately slightly axially forward and several degrees circumferentially around the shell as best seen in Fig. l.

The plate 27 is disposed to overlie the slot 31 so that the two slots intersect and a pin or other operating element, designated 33, passes through both slots and has its inner end mounted upon the other end of the filter element 25. A knob or the like 34 may be provided on the outer end of the pin.

With the construction described by manipulating the pin 33 by means of knob 34, the filter element 25 may be swung from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, where the filter element overlies or is in front of the lamp bulb 22. It will be apparent that the inner plate 27 serves to close or cover the slot 31 in the shell and thereby minimize the possibility of moisture entering the shell. The filter element may be returned to its original position when desired.

Although I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, I contemplate that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the following claim.

I claim:

In an electric lighting device having a lamp bulb and having an annular dished reflector shell extending forwardly of the bulb, adjustable light filter means for said lamp, comprising a dished light filter element pivotally mounted at one end on the shell forwardly of the lamp, a dished plate mounted in said shell for rotation about the axis of the shell, said plate having an axially extending slot, said shell having an arcuate slot between the inner and outer axial limits of the slot in said plate and on a side of the shell opposite said one end of said filter element, said dished plate overlying the arcuate slot in the shell and being of sufficient width to cover said arcuate slot at any position of intersection of said arcuate and axially extending slots, and an operating element extend ing through both said slots and secured to the other end of said filter, said filter element being laterally swingable between its ends to a position in front of said lamp bulb upon movement of said operating element to one end of the slot in said shell and to a position to one side and forward of said lamp bulb upon movement of said operating element to the other end of the slot in said shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 404,218 Great Britain Jan. 11, 1934 

